1.Instructions (Given on an Experimental Basis) by the Supreme Court on Application of Law and Case Searches

Promulgated by the Supreme People’s Court

Promulgation date: 27 July 2020

Implementation date: 1 August 2020

Document number: F.[2020] 185

Case searches help judges make correct judgement. If a dispute arises from application of law or no clear or uniform decision-making rules exist, judges need to study the application of law more carefully and decide more prudently. To standardize the exercise of the decision making right and cause uniform rules on application of law to be implemented, the Instructions states that in one of the following events, case searches are required: 1. to propose to submit to the qualified (presiding) judge meeting or trial committee for deliberation; 2. in the absence of clear or uniform decision making rules; 3. the president or chairman requires case searches within their power to monitor and administer trials; 4. other event in which case searches are necessary to standardize the case search report mechanism. (Source: Website of the Supreme Court)